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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not pay for school trips?

28 replies

CokeAndCrispsAndDip · 02/05/2019 10:49

My children's dad is in the RAF, we are divorced, but this allows my dc's school to claim Service Pupil Premium. This is £300 per year, per child up to year 11.

As I understand it this money is to be spent specifically on the children that are eligible and not lumped in with other funding. There is zero evidence of this money being spent on service children, last school year they had a military kids group that had half an hour once a week to have fun time at school. This hasn't happened this school year.

So, to my AIBU, am I being unreasonable to stop paying for trips (which amount to no more than £100 per child per school year) and let the school cover it with the SSP?

OP posts:

Plastictattoo · 02/05/2019 10:53

You can ask the school how the money is spent. It may even be on the school website. They have to specify how it is spent.
If other parents took your attitude of not paying for trips, that are already subsidised by the school btw, then trips would be cancelled. Is that the outcome you want?

PopWentTheWeasel · 02/05/2019 10:54

Yes you would. In the same way as the premium for children who are entitled to free school meals has to benefit them, but may not be linked to specific activities e.g. may be more support in classrooms rather than just a premium kids after school club or similar.

You're entitled to decline to pay towards school trips, as it'sa voluntary contribution on your part, but they won't be using the SSP to cover the cost, that will already have been committed so you may find your kids' class trips get cancelled more often if parents refuse to pay for such reasons.

hedgehoglurker · 02/05/2019 10:56

Absolutely ask for how it is being spent. If they can't justify it, explain your position, which is reasonable, but I wouldn't simply stop paying.

Prettyvase · 02/05/2019 10:56

Schools are so hard pressed these days many teachers are covering the shortfalls themselves.

If you want to demotivate and demoralise teachers further when all they want to do is provide fun, interesting and educational trips for your DC then yes, why not stop contributing.

aintnothinbutagstring · 02/05/2019 10:57

Is SSP supposed to be used for school trips? I agree with previous poster, you need to ask what is has been spent on in the last financial year and what they plan for this year.

IsYourGoogleBroken · 02/05/2019 10:58

last school year they had a military kids group that had half an hour once a week to have fun time at school.

What a waste of money when it could be used for training to support those pupils.

teyem · 02/05/2019 11:00

If there is a fund to be spent on service children then there should evidence of how that fund was spent. You should ask.

Original poster

CokeAndCrispsAndDip · 02/05/2019 11:00

My aim is not to demoralise teachers! I haven't stopped paying, and I will ask the school how the money is used.

If for example they can provide no evidence of it being used to my children's benefit would it be unfeasible to request it is used for school trips then?

OP posts:

Ellisandra · 02/05/2019 11:01

The reasonable response is to actually sisal to the school first

teyem · 02/05/2019 11:02

Yes. I think it would be a bit of a cheek to direct them to spending it on school trips. Presumably, if there is a fund for service children a gap has been identified for these children that should be met with this fund. Unless the gap was being excluded from school trips, in which case - go for it.

2anddone · 02/05/2019 11:04

By law the school has to state what the pupil premium money is spent on and how much they receive (assuming you are in England).
At our school it is spent on THRIVE, drama tutor, iPads, a teaching assistant (non-pupil specific), early years resources, speech and language therapy, PIXEL and some goes towards school trips. If you have a child eligible for Pupil Premium it's up to you if you pay for school trips or not....though usually it's only the children who get free school meals as they can't afford them only pay a small amount towards the trip

Villanellesproudmum · 02/05/2019 11:05

Is never heard of it but the guide is it should not be used for school trips www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-service-pupil-premium/service-pupil-premium-what-you-need-to-know unless just a group trip for service children.

MyDcAreMarvel · 02/05/2019 11:05

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 02/05/2019 11:09

Can you afford to pay for the trips?

Teddybear45 · 02/05/2019 11:10

Ask them how it’s spent. Most schools I know spend it on counselling or activities to help kids come to terms with specific challenges around having parents in the forces.

CCC1 · 02/05/2019 11:11

At my child’s school it is spent on additional learning support and additional hours for a post in pastoral care. It largely benefits those children who have moved around a lot and need support adjusting to the schools learning/revision methods and require help with fitting in/forming friendships/emotional support and worries around serving parents. Some children will access this more than others as all children are different and also behave differently at different times in their journey through teenage years. I think you are unreasonable if you want your £300 worth per year as it could be being used as a fund that should your child suddenly have a massive crisis of confidence in future, all the support will be there for her and probably amount to more in cost terms.

Original poster

CokeAndCrispsAndDip · 02/05/2019 11:13

To be honest, I can't really afford it but my Dad helps me out with it. My ex is in debt up to his eyeballs so no help there.

OP posts:

MargoLovebutter · 02/05/2019 11:16

According to the Government website, this is what it should be used for:

"Eligible schools receive the SPP so that they can offer mainly pastoral support during challenging times and to help mitigate the negative impact on service children of family mobility or parental deployment.

Mobility is when a service family is posted from one location to another, including overseas and within the UK.

Deployment is when a service person is serving away from home for a period of time. This could be a 6 to 9 month tour of duty, a training course or an exercise which could last for a few weeks."

Given the specific nature of what the premium should be used for, I think you need to consider how you discuss this with the school. Just asking for it to be applied to a school trip doesn't sound as though it would fit the criteria. I think you need to think how your DC might benefit from that amount of money being used and ask the school how they intend to facilitate that.

lottiegarbanzo · 02/05/2019 11:20

Of course YWBU. Your first step is to ask the school how these funds are being allocated this year. Then take time to ensure you understand their answer, in the context of their wider funding and teaching objectives.

Then, if still unhappy, perhaps discuss the issue with the other affected parents and see whether there is agreement on the issue and perhaps some constructive proposals you could make.

Then, ask for an apppointment to discuss your alternative proposals with the school. Be prepared to listen to their response.

user1474894224 · 02/05/2019 11:21

If you are in receipt of certain benefits then you can apply for pupil premium funding (separate from the service premium).….this can be used to fund pupil trips - typically it involves a conversation with the HT when an expense comes up. Schools have to publish on the website how this money is used to benefit pupils. (Typically it can be used to fund additional staff to enable pupils to close any learning gaps, subsidise music/sport/trips, support parents with cost of uniforms etc, support/pay for any therapies that may be required...)

Original poster

CokeAndCrispsAndDip · 02/05/2019 11:25

Thank you, I have recently had a massive change in circumstances and will look into Pupil Premium and if I eligible.

OP posts:

HexagonalBattenburg · 02/05/2019 11:27

The school should have the pupil premium spending summary up on their website accounting for how the money is being spent to address the areas of need related to those children in particular.

Not all schools will have kids who are in receipt of the Armed Forces child element of it - but ours does and I could tell you (or know where to look to tell you) exactly where every penny of it goes to enhance the life chances and attainment of those children. In our case it's primarily used for a lot of PSHE support for the kids when their parents are away for long periods - but that's because that's the need that's been identified for the cohort in particular. Ours is very clearly on the website in the bit that generally only the very bored, disgruntled or Ofsted inspectors read - but it's there and openly available.

It's worth talking to the school about it if you're seeing a need that they've not identified.

justmyview · 02/05/2019 11:28

I think it's reasonable to ask how the premium is being spent

I'm not sure if each Forces child is supposed to receive exactly £300 worth of support each year, no more, no less, regardless of their needs OR if the school receives £300 per child and has discretion to spend it amongst all Forces children e.g. if child A is struggling, he gets more support, child B is doing okay so gets less support

This specifically says that it cannot be used for school trips, so YWBU to ask for that

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-service-pupil-premium/service-pupil-premium-what-you-need-to-know

12pinkchairs · 02/05/2019 11:32

I think you need to ask the school what the money is being spent on.

myhamsteratefreddiestarr · 02/05/2019 11:33

YANBU if the money can be covered by Pupil Premium, as I think that is what it should be used for. We have a terrible issue in our school with parents not paying the "voluntary" part of trips for various reasons, even when they can afford to, some choose not to because they don't see why they should when someone else doesn't. This then puts the trip into jeapardy meaning that a lot of kids miss out.

However, I feel that if someone qualifies for free school meals and therefore PP, part of that PP should be paid for the child's trips. But there are often rules that govern these things and the school can't control it.

If you are short of money then ask to pay in smaller instalments, I am sure they will agree to this, as long as they get their money.

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